Bolsonaro Makes Generals Uneasy With Statement About Their Role In Democracy

President said that freedom only exists when the Army allows it

São Paulo , Rio de Janeiro and Brasília

​A strange statement made by president Jair Bolsonaro about the Armed Forces brought uneasiness to generals within his inner circle, who tied [sic] to do damage control in one more controversy from the president this week.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Bolsonaro had already brought unwanted attention to himself by tweeting a pornographic video and criticizing Carnaval, one of Brazil's biggest popular festivities [aka peegate].

On Thursday morning (7th), Bolsonaro attended an event at the Brazilian Marines Corps headquarters in Rio, and during his speech, he said: "This mission will be accomplished hand in hand with the people who hold family values in Brazil, those who love their country, who respect their families, those who want us close to countries with similar ideologies, those who love democracy. And democracy and freedom only happen when the Armed Forces allow them to exist."

The statement displeased many senior cabinet officers who belong to the Armed Forces and other high ranking officials -- eight out of Bolsonaro's 22 ministers are servicemen.

Left-wing politicians from PT and PSOL also immediately took to social media to criticize the speech, seen by them as an admission that Bolsonaro think that democracy only happens when the Army intervenes.

For the administration's "military wing," however, saw issues with Bolsonaro saying that democracy happens "when the Armed Forces allow," meaning the Armey [sic] has the discretion to decide when to act, but that is not granted by the Brazilian Constitution.

But they also think that the most problematic part is when the president mentions people who hold family values and share his ideologies, for then to add the comment on the Armed Forces. With that comment, Bolsonaro made it look like that the Armed Forces are ready to fight those who disagree with him, which he sees as adversaries.

Bolsonaro's public mishaps are starting to shake investors' confidence in his administration. Inside the Brazilian Congress, many think that the president will have to either choose to be open to political negotiations or he will need to face the fact that his term will be a bumpy one.

In the last couple of days, bankers and financial brokers personally sought political parties inside Bolsonaro's base to ask what are the chances for the Social Security reform to move forward. What they heard was not encouraging.

Brazil school shooting: heavily armed former students kill 8 as well as themselvesMAURICIO SAVARESE AND ANNA JEAN KAISER·09:12, Mar 14 2019

Two young men, wearing hoods and carrying firearms and other weapons, opened fire at a school in southern Brazil on Wednesday (Thursday morning NZ time), killing five students and two adults before taking their own lives, authorities said.

The men, identified as former students at the school in a suburb of Sao Paulo, also shot and killed the owner of a used car business nearby before launching the attack on the school, authorities said.

Besides the five students, the dead included a teacher and a school administrator, said Joao Camilo Pires de Campos, the state's public secretary.

Andre Penner/APA student cries outside the Raul Brasil State School in Suzano, the greater Sao Paulo area, Brazil. The state government of Sao Paulo said two teenagers, armed with guns and wearing hoods, entered the school and began shooting at students. They then killed themselves, according to the statement.

Nine others were wounded in the school attack and hospitalised, he said.

"This is the saddest day of my life," de Campos said, speaking to reporters outside the school in the Sao Paulo suburb of Suzano.

"The big question is: what was the motivation of these former students?" de Castro said.

Monteiro opened fire with a .38 calibre handgun and de Castro used a crossbow, de Campos said, adding that forensics would determine how the victims died.

Mauricio Sumiya/Futura Press via APA man comforts a woman at the Raul Brasil State School in Suzano, Brazil.

The attackers were also carrying Molotov cocktails, knives and axes, authorities said

"In 34 years as a policeman, it's the first time I see someone use a crossbow like that," Marcelo Salles said. "It is horrendous."

The attackers were trying to force their way inside a room at the back of the school where many students were hiding when police arrived.

Victor Moriyama/GettyPolice officers hold a news conference following a shooting at Raul Brazil School on March 13, 2019 in Suzano, Brazil. Eight people were killed and more than twenty injured when two students, Luiz de Castro and Guilherme Monteiro, opened fire.

Instead of facing police, they turned their weapons on themselves, authorities said without elaborating.

Students gathered outside the school recounted harrowing attacks and seeing several bodies lying in pools of blood.

Kelly Milene Guerra Cardoso, 16, said she and other students took refuge in the school's cafeteria, locked the door and lay on the floor.

Andre Penner/APA former student is comforted by a friend outside the Raul Brasil State School in Suzano, the greater Sao Paulo area, Brazil.

"We stayed there until the door was opened. We thought it was the shooters coming to get us, but it was the police," she said. "They told us to start running."

Horacio Pereira Nunes, a retiree whose house is next to the school, said he heard shots around 10 am.

"Then a lot of kids started running out, all screaming," he said. "It didn't take long until police arrived."

The Raul Brasil Professor public school has more than 1600 students from elementary to high school grades, teachers gathered outside said.

Latin America's most populous nation has the largest number of annual homicides in the world, but school shootings are rare.

In 2011, 12 students were killed by a gunman who roamed the halls of a school in Rio de Janeiro, shooting at them.

The school was evacuated and police were inspecting possible explosives left by the shooters.

President Jair Bolsonaro ran on a platform that included promises to crack down on criminals, in part by expanding public access to guns. Soon after his New Year's Day inauguration, Bolsonaro issued a decree making it easier to buy a gun.

Similar to arguments made by proponents of less gun regulation in the United States, Bolsonaro and his supporters argue that expanded access to guns will combat crime.

Senator Major Olimpio, a member of Bolsonaro's party and a proponent of loosening gun legislation, again made that argument hours after the rampage.

Victor Moriyama/GettyPolice officers work the scene of a shooting at Raul Brazil School on March 13, 2019 in Suzano, Brazil.

"We can't let those who take advantage of this tragedy speak about how disarmament is the solution," he tweeted, adding: "Weak and shameful 'disarmament farce,' which gave guns to criminals and prevented self-defense."

Andre Penner/APForensic vehicles transport the bodies of the people who were killed in a school shooting at the Raul Brasil State School in Suzano, in the greater Sao Paulo area, Brazil.

Victor Moriyama/GettyPolice officers hold a news conference following a shooting at Raul Brazil School in Suzano, Brazil.

Victor Moriyama/GettyResidents and relatives mourn the loss of friends and relatives at the scene of a shooting at Raul Brazil School in Suzano, Brazil. Eight people were killed and more than twenty injured when two students, Luiz de Castro and Guilherme Monteiro, opened fire.

Johnny Morais/Futura Press via APA teenager who was injured during a shooting inside the Raul Brasil State School, is carried on a gurney into a hospital, in Suzano, Brazil.

My heart also goes out to Gray_Ghost and all my NZ friends, wherever they are....

White Supremacists are now the top group for committing terrorist attacks not only in US but world wide...

Agreed but my crazy Scottish pal living in Auckland posted on Facebook that he was ok. Instantly he got replies as to he would never go near a Mosque, to which he responded that he stopped going when they stopped serving fosters

White Supremacists are now the top group for committing terrorist attacks not only in US but world wide...

If by "White Supremacist groups" you can include the elitists that the US Democrat and Republican population have consistently voted into control of their government, I would agree 100%; there are no groups which can come anywhere near the sheer number, or sophistication, of illegal bombings perpetrated by the US in even one year, let alone the decades of illegal bombings perpetrated by the US year after year.

For example, here is just one year of illegal* bombings executed in 2016:, I'm using Obama statistics, but Clinton, Bush and Trump get no free pass, generally every administration bombs more than the preceding administration...

* These bombings are illegal as we are signed on to International Law, and all such treaties are "Supreme Law of the Land" according to our Constitution superseding all other laws, meaning the illegality of these bombings supersedes any other Federal or State law we can draft in their levels below Supreme Law.

Here are Obama's 26,171 bombings in just one year of his 8 years commander in chief, no other terrorist group can come anywhere near this...

The tens of thousands of innocents who are consistently dying under US bombings never make it onto CNN, but smaller, isolated blowback incidents (which are equally immoral), receive 24x7 news coverage...propaganda's skewed view, manufacturing consent.

"Nobody should have any illusions. The United States has essentially a one-party system and the ruling party is the business party." - Noam Chomsky

terror nounter·​ror | \ ˈter-ər, ˈte-rər\Definition of terror

violent or destructive acts (such as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands.

___________________________

Here's a Chomsky article outlining an overview of illegal activity perpetrated by the US over recent decades:

"He who controls the media controls the minds of the public." -Chomsky

Not to take anything away from thoughts on NZ, but in addition we can observe how the media performs when the losses are from our violence or somebody else's... one is covered, the other more massive and much more frequent, is not covered....and it affects us, TV drives the general consensus, we see it every day...

The effect of media control on the US population....

A worldwide Gallup poll showed Americans are vastly outnumbered (and are kept in the dark about it), about who is the biggest threat to world peace...

Here's a heat map from the poll...Americans think Iran is the greatest threat to world peace, where pretty much everyone else who was polled says Americans are the greatest threat to world peace...

Americans have no idea their opinion is so vastly, and near unanimously outnumbered, rather, they think they are right. Good thing Americans think everyone loves us, we'd have to be embarrassed if we knew how the world REALLY thinks of us...propaganda has it's advantages

"You know I watched that rotten box until my head began to hurt." - FZ

But it's probably a "family dispute" resulting in so far 3 dead and 5 injured following a shooting in a tram. The suspect's currently in custody. He's also a suspect in a rape case and has a long string of crimes to his name: quoting the NOS: "attempted manslaughter, threat and insulting a woman (stalking), threatening and insulting police and urinating in a police cell."

What appeared to be a far-right tattoo was the cause of thousands being evacuated from Wellington's Homegrown festival.

Concert-goers at the dub and roots stage in Waitangi Park were evacuated about 9.20pm on Saturday after security raised concerns about an attendee. They were allowed back in after about 20 minutes.

Police on Sunday morning said fears were raised about a man who appeared to have a far-right tattoo and was thought to be acting suspiciously.

It was this that sparked the evacuation but it turned out the tattoo was traditional and not tied to far-right ideology, police said.

Homegrown spokeswoman Kelly Wright said about 5000 people were evacuated following an incident "deemed enough of a threat to evacuate". However, concert-goers returned shortly before 10pm, Wright said.

The evacuation meant a moment's silence was not held at the planned time at the dub and roots stage.

"It was just completely out of our control, as it's transpired all four other stages kept going," she said.

"It was only interrupted for 20 minutes, which was actually only 10 minutes that wasn't the change over.

"They actually only missed out on 10 minutes."

Wright apologised for the inconvenience, but added safety was of "utmost importance" to the organisers.

Earlier, attendees posted pictures to Twitter showing festival-goers being evacuated, with some social media users speculating a bomb threat had been made.

A Stuff reporter on the ground said he was watching acts at the festival's city stage, where Dave Dobbyn was about to start his set, and no one had been evacuated.

The festival has five stages in total, also including the electronic stage, rock stage and the lab stage.

The concert was to fall silent at 9.25pm, so the 20,000 event-goers could pay respects to those who lost their lives or were injured in the Christchurch terror attacks.

"All artists and bands appearing at Homegrown will stand together on their respective stages for the minute's silence," a statement from the organisers said.

Promoters have dubbed the one day festival "Kiwi music's biggest party".

On Friday March 15th, 2019, a gunman walked into two Christchurch mosques and killed 50 people.

It was a shocking, brutal assault, the kind New Zealanders had told themselves happened only in other countries. But the terror of a hate-filled mass murder had visited our nation now too. This was the end of our innocence.

Sir Mick Jagger has said he is "devasta'ed" to let down fans after the Rolling Stones were forced to postpone a tour of the US and Canada while the frontman seeks medical treatment.

The singer, 75, has been told by doctors that he cannot go on tour at the moment but have advised that he is expected to make a full recovery.

No further details of his condition were given.

A statement from the group said: "Unfortunately today the Rolling Stones have had to announce the postponement of their upcoming US/Canada tour dates - we apologise for any inconvenience this causes those who have tickets to shows but wish to reassure fans to hold onto these existing tickets, as they will be valid for rescheduled dates, which will be announced shortly.

Jagger said he would be 'working very hard to be back on stage' (AFP/Getty Images) "Mick has been advised by doctors that he cannot go on tour at this time, as he needs medical treatment.

"The doctors have advised Mick that he is expected to make a complete recovery so that he can get back on stage as soon as possible."

Sir Mick added: "I'm so sorry to all our fans in America & Canada with tickets. I really hate letting you down like this.

"I'm devasta'ed for having to postpone the tour but I will be working very hard to be back on stage as soon as I can. Once again, huge apologies to everyone."

The band were due to kick off the US and Canada leg of their No Filter tour at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida on April 20, finishing at the Burl's Creek Even Grounds in Ontario, Canada, on June 29.

David Seymour hoists himself with his own petard, providing small moment of levityHenry Cooke 17:25 April 2nd, 2019

ROSS GIBLIN/STUFFACT leader David Seymour should be thanked for providing Parliament with a small moment of levity.

ANALYSIS: David Seymour seemed to realise something was wrong just when he was too late to do anything about it.

The sole ACT Party Member of Parliament was standing just outside of the House on Tuesday taking oodles of questions from media about why exactly he was going to stand athwart history and yell "stop".

His stand was against the Government passing its gun control laws in just two weeks, a move supported by everyone in Parliament except Seymour.

While Seymour couldn't stop the Government doing this, he could stop it getting the bill rushed through with the support of all of Parliament, instead forcing them into the messy business of urgency. All he had to do was yell that he objected when Chris Hipkins stood up and sought the leave to abridge the normal process, and he'd get his nice little rhetorical win, perhaps winning the votes of some frustrated gun owners in the process.

But alas, as Seymour stood taking a good five minutes of questions from the humble press gallery, the clock ticked past 2pm and the House got going in earnest. Hipkins, clearly not believing his luck, started to reel off the long point of order to an incredulous House, while MPs across the spectrum craned their necks to check whether Seymour had arrived.

He had not. Despite rushing off from the media when he realised just how late he was - there's a handy clock and bell system to stop MPs being tardy - Seymour did not make it, and the point of order was carried with no objection. Seymour had missed his chance to stop the law being passed quickly because he was too busy talking about stopping the law being passed quickly.

This David had met his Goliath in the form of the boyish Chris Hipkins. And this time Goliath had won.

The Government MPs maintained big smiles throughout Question Time, handing a bucket of lollies passed down the front bench, National MPs - including the man obliged to lose to Seymour every election, Paul Goldsmith - could be seen openly laughing, with Maggie Barry wiping what looked to be tears from her eyes.

The end result, as Seymour noted with a big smile on his face after Question Time, was the same: the bill was always going to pass within two weeks. This position is entirely true, but also happens to invalidate Seymour's original plan.

This is a clear victory for Hipkins' reputation as a manager of the House, which was left somewhat damaged after a mixup voting for the Speaker just as this Government began its term.

It's also provided a tiny sliver of levity to what will be a grim session of Parliament begins to fully reckon with the horror of the Christchurch attacks.

Parliament's proxy system means MPs very rarely actually have to be in the House for important things.

The last time something like this happened was in 2007, when United Future MP Gordan Copeland quit his party thanks to his opposition to the anti-smacking bill. He then missed the third reading debate - and the vote, although he managed to have this corrected later.

Copeland was soon booted from Parliament, winning just 515 electorate votes. A similar future seems unlikely for Seymour, although Epsom voters are not known for their love of guns.

At least Seymour doesn't have to face his caucus and explain himself any time soon - unless he catches himself in the mirror, of course.

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